Panthera at ACT Con 2025: Advancing Big Cat Conservation Through Technology and Collaboration 

Earlier this month, Panthera’s Conservation Technology and Counter Wildlife Crime teams joined more than 400 conservation practitioners, rangers, technologists, government representatives and researchers at the first-ever Applied Conservation Technology Congress (ACT Con) in Hanoi, Vietnam.  

This gathering was significant for both global conservation technology and Panthera’s work across continents. ACT Con provided an invaluable opportunity for our teams to connect with partners, learn from practitioners, and contribute to conversations shaping the future of field-driven technology. 

Co-hosted by Ai2’s EarthRanger, the SMART Partnership, the Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST), and Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, ACT Con was built around a simple principle: technology must work for the people protecting wildlife on the front lines. 

As a core member of the SMART Partnership, Panthera has long contributed to the development and global adoption of SMART tools and approaches. The partnership is one of the largest and most successful collaborations in conservation technology, enabling organizations and governments to standardize monitoring, strengthen adaptive management, and improve decision-making across thousands of protected areas. ACT Con offered a timely moment to reconnect with fellow partners and explore how new developments will shape future work. 

Rather than product pitches or abstract theory, the program emphasized hands-on training, practical demonstrations, community- and ranger-led insights, the realities of deploying tools in challenging landscapes, and the growing need for an integrated, scalable, and equitable technology ecosystem.

This field-centered approach aligns strongly with Panthera’s global model: ensuring technology is a tool for impact, grounded firmly in the needs and constraints of field teams. 

Panthera was represented by a diverse team of 13 colleagues from across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, reflecting our global operations and the wide range of environments in which we deploy conservation technology.

Contributions to Panels and Presentations 

Panthera colleagues contributed to several sessions and workshops, sharing practical insights on how conservation technology strengthens field teams worldwide. Their presentations highlighted: 

• Empowering frontline teams. Practical applications of SMART and EarthRanger to improve monitoring, patrol planning, and response times. 
• Community-driven and citizen science approaches. Initiatives like the Hwange Citizen Science Project engage safari guides and visitors to contribute data on big cats to evaluate impact of conservation interventions. 
• Data-informed threat reduction and patrol strategies. Using operational data to guide interventions and measure conservation impact. 
• Problem-solving and adaptive management. Applying technology to address complex conservation challenges, integrating real-world experience from multiple landscapes. 

These contributions reinforced Panthera’s approach to technology as a tool for practical impact, grounded in the needs of the field, while fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing with global conservation practitioners. 

Panthera also hosted an exhibition booth, showcasing our tools and providing an interactive space to share experiences and explore collaboration opportunities. Our Panthera V8 camera trap system drew particular interest from rangers, technologists, government delegates, and partner NGOs. 

Key Takeaways from ACT Con 2025 

Across plenaries, breakout rooms and informal conversations, several themes emerged repeatedly, many of which reflect Panthera’s current direction: 

1. Technology works only when it works for field staff.
Tools must be intuitive, reliable offline, and easy to integrate into daily patrols and operations. 
2. Integration is the future. In the weeks leading up to ACT Con, the SMART Partnership and EarthRanger announced the creation of the SMART–EarthRanger Conservation Alliance (SERCA). SERCA unites the world’s most widely used protected area management software, real-time tracking platforms, and global training systems into one coordinated alliance. The goal is to ensure protected areas have access to integrated tools for data collection, field operations, long-term monitoring, and adaptive management. Importantly, SERCA aims to close the persistent gap between teams with access to advanced technology and those working in remote or resource-limited areas. For organizations operating across multiple regions, landscapes and partner structures — including Panthera — this shift toward shared standards and unified systems provides a stronger foundation for scaling conservation impact and improving long-term decision-making and collaboration. 
3. Scaling technology requires scaling people. Standardized training, stronger technical support across countries, and equitable access for under-resourced frontline teams are essential and should be prioritized. 
4. Community and local leadership matter. Communities, Indigenous groups and local practitioners must play a central role in shaping tools that actually work in their contexts. 

Looking Ahead 

With operations spanning key wild cat landscapes, these ACT Con lessons felt especially relevant to Panthera’s work. ACT Con was more than a conference — it was a practical, honest and collaborative gathering of the people who build, use and depend on conservation technology every day. 

For Panthera, the week reinforced the importance of integrated approaches, strong partnership, and tools that reflect the realities of the field. We return from Hanoi energized by the discussions, encouraged by the direction of global conservation tech, and committed to continuing our work with partners to ensure that technology strengthens frontline capacity. 

A sincere thank you to the ACT Con organizers, EarthRanger, SMART, VNFOREST, and Save Vietnam’s Wildlife for hosting a world-class event. And to all the rangers, practitioners and technologists who shared their experiences — your insights continue to shape the tools and systems that protect wildlife worldwide.